Community Highlights: Meet Carol Brymm of Valentino Pet Paws

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Brymm

Hi Carol, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got a Sheepadoodle Dog three years ago who is crazy high energy, so I am always looking for new ways to entertain him. I started by noticing that dog balls are all the same color and wanted to elevate them by wrapping them in pretty fabrics with polka dots. This evolved into developing a tug toy for the backyard or indoors for dogs to tug on a rope or a ball. The dog can go all the way around the pole, so the dog can get an actual workout running around the pole. The process was complicated because as simple as it looks, there are a lot of components that are part of the pole to make sure it functions properly. I have been in executive search my whole career placing lawyers and really wanted to create a product and brand, my other business is a service business. I started a chocolate company 15 years ago, that was crazy successful but difficult to mass produce, it was fun marketing it and having a physical product that i created from my heart. So that was also my inspiration. I have always had the desire to create a product even when i was a child, I would always notice different things in the store and question how the got started and was intrigued.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Bumps in the road, trying to identify all the components to help the pole function properly. When we did our first photoshoot and it was also our first test with a very aggressive big dog, the device I was using for it to rotate around the pole, all of the pieces popped off because the dog was so strong. So I had to figure out a new way. Identifying the right suppliers for dog rope has been complicated, I was trying to find a USA dog-friendly rope supplier and it is impossible because there are not many cotton fields in the USA today. Also, when we were doing a photoshoot and testing the product the ground stake broke in half and all the companies wanted to charge me a ridiculous amount of money for a ground stake. So this toy has involved a lot of research in Google and networking with the right people. Now I am in the marketing aspect of it and production, so it is about making an efficient production line that goes fast with so many little processes that have to happen. Shipping prices are astronomical, thankfully there are now shipping companies for businesses that offer amazing rates versus going directly to a UPS or FED EX which would charge me $150 to $500 to Ship. So your question is a loaded question. So now I am working on the best places to market my product and get the word out. I am using Facebook ads and Instagram and there are challenges to master the right creatives, have a perfect landing page and targeting the right people.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in making dog toys for high-energy dogs. What sets me apart is having a unique tug toy for the backyard for dogs that goes in the ground and having the rope and ball rotate around the pole. There is not other product on the market exactly like mine. Also, my indoor dog ball ribbons are unique, I call them “The Candy” because they are wrapped like candy. It is a 3 -1 Tug toy for dogs Fetch Tug of War and Shake. They are cute and you never have to touch the ball. I am proud of myself for developing these unique products. These dog toys will keep your dog entertained. They are for ball-loving, high-energy dogs. My Dog toys are durable and will last a long time. I have tested them out with hundreds of dogs

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Yes, I am a big risk-taker. In my 20’s I moved to New York City with no job and $5,000 in the bank and no place to live. I was sleeping on a friend’s couch interviewing for a job. I had a plan C Plan B and my dream job plan A. Within 2 years i made $2 MM dollars and started my own company in New York. I have always looked at life, I never want to wonder about something about the “What IF” I go to the “What If” Yes there have been challenges along the way, and you have to pivot. The market crashed in my industry and that is how I ended up starting a chocolate company. The Dog industry is one of the hottest markets, people are now choosing to have a dog over children and are spoiling their dogs like they are children. It is exciting to make a splash in the market with a new innovative product, the excitement to grow a global empire far outweighs the risk. My Dog is a subscription business where you can order new toys for the tug pole: every month or every quarter.

Pricing:

• $139.00 for tug pole and 3 toys and treats
• 95.00 for the tug pole and rope
• 16.99 for the candy dog ball
• buy 3 get 1 free $33.98
• montly subscription $39.00 2 – 3toys and treats

Contact Info:

• Website: https://valentinopetpaws.com/collections/designer-dog-balls/products/high-energy-dog-rope-tug-tire-and-ball-includes-peanut-butter
• Instagram: valentinopetpaws
• Facebook: Valentinopetpaws

Image Credits
Haldan Morris photographer